Umran Malik wants to break Shoaib Akhtar's record

Indian T20 League 2022's emerging player of the year, Umran Malik, has gained global attention for his skills. He has been able to regularly bowl with a speed of 150+ kmph. Along with that, he has also taken wickets. Playing for Hyderabad, Malik took 22 wickets in  14 games this season.

The speedster has now expressed his desire to bowl the quickest delivery of all time. The current quickest delivery was bowled by the Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar. He delivered a speed of 161.3 against England in World Cup 2003. "I hope I will break the record of Shoaib Akhtar's fastest ball in world cricket," he told News 24 Sports.

Shoaib Akhtar on Umran Malik

Previously, the former Pakistan player expressed his desire for Umran Malik to break his record. He said that any records are meant to be broken.

"For the first time I have seen someone who is bowling 150kmph + consistently and I will be happy if he (Umran) breaks my record (of fastest delivery). Tode, jarur tode, and bagiar apne ko tode huae tode, (break, definitely break, but not yourself). I want to see his long career. Only a few days back, someone was saying to me that it has been 20 years and your record is still not broken. But I believe records are meant to be broken and I will be happy if he (Umran) does that," he told Sportskeeda.

Akhtar said that he wished for Malik to do well in the international arena as well. "I want to see him on the world stage because that is where he belongs to. I definitely want him to keep this 100mph mark in his mind and join that special club," he added.

In the meantime, the 22-year old has earned his maiden international call-up. He will be a part of India's squad in the five-match T20 series against South Africa. It remains to be seen if he will be given the opportunity to make his debut. The series kicks off on the 9th of June.